Westmorland Damson Association.
Trustees, Annual Report - Year ended 31 December 2023
The Trustees who seNed duringthe year we￿.
Mark Basey-Fisher- Chair
Angela Slater- Secretary
Hilary Fitch- Membership Secretary
Peter Hensman-Tre3surer
Andrew Griffrths
Desmond Holmes
Simon Patterson
Rebecca Patterson
HBrtley Trotter
Adam Walker
sTrucruRE AND GOVERNAN
The Westmodand Damson Association is a Charitable Incixsmirated Organi5ation ICIOI operating under a
constitLrtion approved by the Charity Commission and adopted on 7 June 2021. Membership of the Association
is open to anyone who supports the objertive5 of the Association. The day-to-day affairs are managed by an
Executive Committee comprising Chairman, w￿￿-ChaIrMan, Setretary. TreaSu￿r and up to 6 other members
who are appointed each year at the Annual General Meeting_
The Association can be contacted at Ingilnook. Chamey Well Lane. Grange over Sanlts. Cumbria. LAII 6DB.
OBJEcnvE5 AND ACTIVITIES
The Westmorland Damson Association Seeks to enhance the economy and landsL3pe of traditional damson-
growing areas in Cumbria by sUPPOrting the growin& picking and use of Westmorland dam50n5. The objectives of
the Association are:
To encourage, for the benefit of the public. the conseThation and protection of damson orchards and the
preservation of theirgenetic btodiver5ity. landscape and heritage value in Cumbria. induding by planting and
creating more tjamson orchard5.
To advance the education of the public in the growin& cultivation. pre5erYdtion and use of the Westmorland
damson vkriety common in Cumbria.
To pursue these objectives. the Association".
Or8anises an Annual Damson Day in Aprli every yèar. This publkc event provides opportunities for those
attending to learn ab)ut the history and techniques of damson growing in the area, to purchase dam50n
trees for planting and to and sell damson-ba5ed and other IcKal pmdvcts.
2. Encourages the growin& pKking and use of damsons by buying in damson5 from growers at harvest-
time. freezing them and then sÈllingthem to those requiring them thro￿Out the year.
3. Encourages the planting of new damson orchards through its Orchard Grant Scheme and the supply of
damson suckers.
4. Promotes the growing and use of damsons by providing advice to members and the publtc through the
circulation of newsletters and other publications and by attending local agricultural shows.
By pursuÉng these objertives. the Trustees continue to give due regard to the Charity Commission'5
guidance on public benefiL

ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2023
Throughout 2022 the Trustees continued their search for a suitsble srte in the Lyth Valley or Winstervalleys on
which to hold Damson Day. Sadly nothing suitable Could be located and they were forced once again to cancel
plans to hold Damson Day in April 2023. This meant that a key feature of the Association's work to promote
damsons and damson growing in Westmorland was lost. lft 2023 the TnJ5tees decided to give p￿ference to
certaintyovertheir preferertce fora Lyth Valley site and began planning to hold the event out of the valley at
the Westmorland Show ground. Damson Day 2024 be hekl on 13 April.
The 2023 damson crop was again reduced by tate frosts at blossom time although the effect was patchy wlth
some orchards being affected and other5 fruiting ¥￿11. The A550ciation agreed to purchase 1194 kgfrom 14
grower5. The Trustees continued to look for new ojstomers for frozen damsons and were pleased that demand
recovered Considerab￿ from the low points of previous year5 With sales amounting to 1250 kg leaving a stock at
31 December 2023 of approximatety 27W k&
The Sale otfre5h dam50ns at haivest time was also investigated a5 a way of ifKreasing demand and reducing the
quantity needing to be frozen. An arrangement was made to deliver fresh damsons direct to Booths South
Lakeland 5upemiarkets. The volume sold in thisway TKdS di￿ppOintIng1¥ small but It 15 an oUt￿t that could be
ijeveloped in future yèars.
Frozen damsons continue to be stored and sold from Halecat on the Wrtherslack Estate and the Trustee5 are
grateful to Witherslack Orchards for their assistan￿ with this.
There were no application5 for orchard grants during the year. The Associatitjn re5pon(led to a number of
requests for damson suckers to enable new planting.
Two stalls were again organised at the Wè5tmorland Countyshow. Both raised the profile of damsons and their
use, one through displaying the Asswation's archive ènd giving adwce on damson growing and the other, in the
food marquee, by selling frozen damsons.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
With the improved level of damson sale5 the deficit for the year was reduced to £147012022
£28571. The balance in unrestricted funds at 31 December 2023 wa5 £34354.
The Trustee5 aim to hold SLrfficlent cash reserves to enable them to fund both a Dam50n Day and
the purchase of a year's damson crop. They estimate that osh reserves required would be of the
order of £20.CKX). At £22853 they were slightly in exces5 of this level at 31 December 2023. The
Trustee5 believe this to be prudent in view of the un￿rtaIntieS and WSsib￿ extra costs that are may
be incurred in holding Dam50n Day at the County Show ground.
Approved by the Trustees on8 2024.
M. Basev-Fisher
Chairman

COMING RESOURCES l¥1
Donaiions and grants
Membershipstrbscriptions
s￿t￿idT?X re£¢mred
DDnation5 rtteNed
om
703.21
.11
Spon50r5hipat)d dafyi￿(￿s
DI$￿a¥s4nd sta115
Gateand walk5
¢xJ
(L(ll
Settin8-UP
Atherti51ll8arKI ￿1)lIr*
OA
o.Ix>
Gpneral
om
om
(KJ
on)
Salo of D3m50n5
Saks
s￿3￿•)
U14.(XJ
C05t of Sales
sioraEe costs
Other sales cosES
Depreclathin olcc4d store
3.678.fAI
L633.
657a5
731.(lJ
6.701.45
1557AI
732.(X)
4.541.14
-1327.14
619.12
.1.446.69

aWitab￿uPendr￿re
Orthard GranLScheB%forfegenetsiion0fWestn￿ts
damsoh orchards
om
EstaWi5hment& ottr*r w5ts
Staff Costs- F*)noraria
L483.67
L41Q23
(L(K¥
lJ83.67
L410.23
L483.67
L410.23
Nol Fund5 forlhfry
.1,469.79
.1856.92
Fund 83￿ne8$ at 1stJ*w ￿22
35A24.37
34354.58
38.681.29
35.824.37
BAL￿CE SHEETat31st DECEMBER 2023
2022
Share otcold store
4392.
5124.(NJ
5.IX(X)
Stotk of damsons
Debtors & PtEpayw
8ankand cash b3Lar
7215.IX)
99.21
22￿.37
.167.58
7A52.(XJ
96.13
23.357.24
3Q%)5.37
205.tK>
29.96258
30.7rJ).37
35.82&37
UnfvJtrKted fiJnd¥
343y.58
35M4.37
SiBned on behalf Dfthe Trustees=
Date. q Iq

Ownir%stock
￿￿TChases
7451
3441.f4)
ItW3.(4)
4986.(
a05br*sttKk
CLSI of 53le5
7452.C
1557.
St(th aovalued atcostorrealb5ablEvauE. Stk¥w*r.
Insurance -Stocl ￿lIdIng5. cash intsan*t
IW.67
210.(X)
210.
IS.99
Web5Fte
Mi5¢ell*)eth
&k74
1410_23
1483.
5(Nshare of coldst￿e
Lessknmulated L￿re¢l￿t
7320.(X)
2196.(
5124.
4392.1X)
shares in the Wrther5W Communit¥5hop.atC05L
5,(XXI.tA)
.SJX¥J.(I)
5. D￿￿TS
GiftAidaaimab
9921
13
1.439.48
21.413.89
1562.47
20.7Y4.7P
>lpton Buihling 5ouety
Cash in Hand
21853.37
233S7.24
siall dep￿1￿(￿￿1￿￿IQrW￿d
6JX)
ExpeD5e5 of £l(Ksw¢rÈpaid tr•onetr￿s1ee in 202313)22￿}I
orderofE20.IM¥. At31t*ceth 2ff23. theyWereSl￿ le¥*l. TheTL￿e5
this tob2 p￿￿￿tIn¥[twoI the uncertaNth5wKI coststhat rrmT ￿￿tr￿dIn holdi
Oam50n Day*the countys￿&rtyjnd.

Independent Examinerfs report on the accounts
to the Trustees of the Westmorland Damson Association
I report on the accounts of the Westmodand Damson Association for the year ended
31 December 2023, which are set out over 5 pages and include the Trustees Report.
Respective responsibilities of trustee and examiner
The charity's trustee is responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustee
considers that an audit is not required under section 14412) of the Charities Act 2011 (the
2011 Acl) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is our responsibility to:
Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
To follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity
Commission under section 145(5)Ibl of the 2011 Act, and
To stale whether particular matters have come to our attention.
Basis of independent examinef s statement
Our examination was Ca￿led out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity
Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity
and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records.11 a150 includes
consideralion of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations
from Ihe trustee con￿MIng any such matters. The prO￿dureS undertaken do not provide as
to whether the accounts present a Irue and fairf view and the report is limtted to those
matters set out in the next slatement.
Independent examinevs sLgtement
In connection with our examination. no matter has come lo our attention:
{1) Which gives us reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the
requirements..
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the
accounting requirements of the 2011 Act other than the need lo apply the Charities
SORP (FRSSE).
have not been met.. or
(2) to which, in our opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper
understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Redhead Accountancy Lld
Chartered Accountants
Bank House, Grfftin Street
Broughlon-in-Fumess
Cumbria
LA20 6HH
Signed on behalf of Redhead Accountancy
07 June 2024